Chord Progression
by Griever11
Summary: "Castle. Man-child, annoying, frustrating, never listens to her – but also loyal, smart, funny, generous, kind-hearted, an amazing kisser." A post 3x14 AU, a three-shot of a fundraiser, guitars and Caskett fluff.
1. Chapter 1

Post 3x14, immediately after Castle drops by her apartment to talk about the fundraiser. This is finished with a total of three chapters and will be updated through the week. The entire thing can also be found on Tumblr.

Thanks for reading!

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Castle leaves her apartment with a spring in his step, even though it's nearly midnight. He's been wearing the biggest smile on his face ever since they sat down to decide on the details of this fundraiser he's planning. Even if she doesn't want to acknowledge it, she knows she's wearing a matching smile on her own face.

She shuts the door behind him and lets out a sigh of ... well, she's not even sure what she's feeling. She'd been so caught up in the planning for this event that may or may not actually happen that she hasn't had the time to think about what it all means to her.

He's holding a fundraiser for her. To honor her _mother_.

He's Richard Castle, one of New York Times' best-selling author, biggest man-child in town, and he wants to do this big, amazing, generous thing for her. Her, being Kate Beckett, NYPD detective, no other fancy titles. She's suddenly overwhelmed with emotion that she collapses in heap on her couch and lets the wave of feelings wash over her.

He can pretend all he wants for the media, but Kate Beckett is now privy to the man he truly is – a great father, a wonderful son and a damn good friend.

 _Friend_.

Yeah, right.

But she's _so_ not about to dissect that part of her life right now. The part where she's not quite sure who he is to her but doesn't want to deal with it just yet. He confuses and irritates her but he also makes her feel a tingling warmth within herself she hasn't felt in a really long time.

He makes her feel _happy_.

It also definitely doesn't help that she keeps flashing back to their undercover kiss, keeps feeling the phantom sensations of his lips gliding over hers, bruising and insistent.

God, she has to stop thinking about it.

She stretches her legs out in front of her and her foot nudges the guitar she set down before Castle barged into her apartment. She scrambles and makes a grab for it before it falls over. She lifts it and strokes the neck of the guitar lovingly, hefting it back onto her lap. She strums a chord, letting the music reverberate through the apartment.

She loves this guitar, a gift from her parents when she graduated from high school. She smiles at the memory, remembers the moment she walked into her room and spotted the guitar resting by her bed, a big bow around the middle.

She rearranges her fingers along the fret board and goes through a few chord progressions, recalling the lyrics of the stupid rap number she just can't get out of her head. She's about to launch into her made-up chorus when she's once again interrupted by the jarring sound of someone knocking on her door.

What _is_ with people and interrupting her tonight?

For the second time that night, she twists the knob and pulls the door open.

"Castle, I already said no to the – oh." Beckett trails off as she realizes the man standing in front of her is _not_ in fact her partner. "Josh, hi."

"Castle was here?" Josh asks, looking a little perturbed by the idea. He strides into her apartment and pulls of his jacket, tossing it over the back of her couch. "What did he want this time?"

Beckett shuts the door behind him, turns around and shakes her head in irritation. The man didn't even have the decency to greet her first?

"Uh, he um, wanted to discuss – brainstorm about the case." Beckett cringes as the words leave her lips. Oh wow, she's lying to him. Alarm bells go off in her head and she breathes out evenly. Sure, she withheld the kiss she shared with Castle from her boyfriend, but lying?

She knows that lying is toxic for any relationship, but she can't possibly tell him that Castle was doing this grand, big, thing for her though, can she? Can't tell him that she's so touched by his gesture that-

"Was it a tough one?"

She blinks at the question, momentarily confused. The case, right.

"Yeah, sort of. A long one, actually so-"

"Hey, I didn't know you played the guitar," Josh interrupts her and walks by her couch. He picks her guitar up, inspecting it with curious eyes. Beckett bristles, uncomfortable with the rude interruption and also from the fear that he's going to drop her precious guitar. "Are you any good? Play something for me, Kate."

She stares at his back, contemplative as she bites on her bottom lip. How has she never noticed that he's kind of self-absorbed before tonight? Maybe it's the fact that she's just spent almost three hours with a man was planning an entire fundraiser for her, expecting absolutely nothing in return. Maybe she's finally tired of pretending this pseudo-relationship where they never really see each other is working out for her. Maybe the guilt of the forbidden kiss is finally taking its toll on her.

Maybe she's just over completely over _everything_.

Josh turns around at her lack of response and cocks his head, curiosity in his eyes when he notices she's still standing by her front door. "Something wrong, Kate?"

She watches him as she chooses her next words carefully. Josh is a good guy, a little aloof, a touch conceited but still generally a good guy. Castle … Castle is Castle. Man-child, annoying, frustrating, never listens to her – but also loyal, smart, funny, generous, kind-hearted, an amazing kisser.

The heart wants what the hearts wants.

Oh, God. She has to do this, doesn't she? It wouldn't be fair to Josh otherwise. She swallows and bites the bullet.

"Josh, we aren't working."

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Twitter: estheryam  
Tumblr: griever11


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the wonderful feedback, everyone. It's much appreciated!

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Rick Castle has never been more excited about anything in his entire life. Okay, that's a lie – he had been pretty damn excited when he bought that plot on the moon – but he hasn't been this excited about anything _recently_. Everyone he's reached out to for help with Beckett's fundraiser had said yes without hesitation. So naturally, he's milking every single one of them for all they're worth, from sponsorship deals to monetary donations and they haven't disappointed.

He's also made a list of things he wants to have at the fundraiser, mostly at Beckett's request. Her one condition for giving him almost free reign with the planning was that he run everything by her first because in her exact words, he will ' _go overboard with the planning and someone sane needs to keep a handle on things._ '

True to her word and much to his disappointment, the moment he emailed her his first draft, she'd responded with a definite 'hell no' to some of his brilliant ideas. Ideas like the fireworks.

And the horse carriages.

And the confetti of gold flakes.

Castle's not too fussed about that however; what she doesn't know is that the joke is on her. He only put them on the list because they served as a distraction from the things he actually wants to have at the event. An ice sculpture will definitely be a nice, yet understated addition and compared to the next few items on the list that begin with the words 'gold plated', he's sure Beckett will gloss over it in an attempt to cull the more exorbitant suggestions.

So a week after his impromptu late night visit to her apartment, he strides into the precinct humming happily, with a revised list clutched reverently in one hand and a tray of coffees balanced expertly in the other. He exchanges quick barbs with the other detectives he meets along the way and makes a beeline for Beckett's desk the moment he enters the bullpen. The quicker he gets her coffee to her, he thinks, the more amenable she will be to his new list.

Much to his dismay, neither Beckett nor the boys are anywhere to be seen when he gets there. It's not anything too out of the ordinary so Castle leaves Ryan and Esposito's coffees on their respective desks before settling into his own seat next to Beckett's. He unfolds his list and flattens the creases while he waits for Beckett to emerge.

He's timed his visit so he'd arrive just before midday in an attempt to persuade Beckett to come out to lunch with him. From the looks of the empty bowl of skittles on her desk, he has a feeling it won't take much to convince her to make the trip to Remy's.

Castle's about to pull his cellphone out to start playing a game while he waits when he notices that her computer monitor isn't locked. He smiles in delight – Beckett is a stickler about computer security and her leaving it unlocked suggests that she'll be back from wherever she is soon. He glances around, makes sure that no one is paying him any particular attention and eventually decides that as the dutiful partner that he is, he'll have to make sure she's left nothing open on her browser that should be seen by wandering eyes.

He shifts into her seat, careful to not jostle the lever that changes the height – oh, he's learned his lesson about _that_ – and brings up her web browser. He clicks on an open tab and – oh, she's–

She's looking at dresses. _Gorgeous_ dresses.

The page is open to some boutique's website and there are rows of stunning dresses tiled across the browser window. It looks like she's filtered the results to the darker colors, deep maroons, midnight blue, the classic blacks. Some of them are downright scandalous, low cut and slinky. He swallows as he studies the selections and it dawns upon him that he might not be able to survive the night if she picked any single one of the dresses currently on the screen.

He's about to scroll through the rest of the site when he hears footsteps behind him. Panicking, he hits the Alt and F4 keys, closing down her browser – she's probably going to kill him for that – and swivels around in her chair, rearranging his features into the most innocent look he can muster.

But his grin falters, replaces it instead with a faint scowl as he realizes the footsteps don't actually belong to his partner, but instead belongs to his partner's … partner.

"Josh. Hi. Nice to see you again," he tries to dial down the disdain but it leaks into his voice anyway.

"Uh, Rick, hi. Is Kate here?" Josh fixes Castle with a guarded stare, his posture stiff and unwavering. The doctor looks a little agitated, possibly a little annoyed that Beckett is nowhere to be seen.

Josh sweeps his gaze across the room and Castle takes the opportunity to stand up too, not at all comfortable with the fact that Josh towers over him from his seated position. He squares his shoulders and his eyes drop to the rather large box that Josh pushes onto Beckett's desk. His curiosity is instantly piqued but seeing the other man reminds of more important things he's been meaning to take care of for a while.

He exhales, slow and steady. He's a grown man, he can be civil to him for two minutes. For her. For Beckett.

Castle grins and clears his throat. "No, she's not here right now, but while _you're_ here, there's a couple of things I wanted to run by you for the fundraiser."

Castle pulls out his notebook and his pen, missing the confused look on Josh's face as he repeats the word. "Fundraiser?"

"Yeah, and since you're a doctor and all, you must have contacts right? So maybe if you could reach out to some of them, see if they'd like to come along, maybe participate in the silent auction-"

"Silent auction?"

"-and if you had any family members you wanted to invite, you can let me know, I mean since this is for Beckett's mom and all, you can-"

"Beckett's mother? Castle, wait, wait hang on a second."

"-I'm not sure if you have any dietary requirements, so maybe we should get that all sorted out first?"

"Rick!"

Castle finally stops talking at the exclamation, looks up from his list and notices that complete bewilderment on Josh's face, his eyebrows furrowed, arms crossed in front of him. "Um … yes, Josh?"

"You're holding a fundraiser for Kate's mother?"

Castle frowns, but before he can get another word out, he spots Beckett walking into the bullpen, followed closely by Ryan and Esposito, laughing together, doughnuts in hand. As if she can sense him in the room, she looks away from her boys the moment Castle turns to her and their eyes meet – her lips curling upwards in delight as she spots him.

And then just as easily as it appeared, the mirth disappears and the laughter dies from her lips as she focuses on the other man in the room.

" _Josh_?"

"Kate!"

She approaches them slowly, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she walks past Josh to stand next to Castle on the other side of her desk. He knows it's juvenile, but Castle can't help but feel a little smug about it. It's like she's chosen him over Josh and–

"He's holding a fundraiser for your mother?"

 _Okay_ , where does Josh get off speaking as if he's not standing right there with them? There's no malice in his voice, but it's accusatory nonetheless and he can feel Beckett tense up next to him. She inches imperceptibly closer to him, their elbows brushing when he folds his list and slips it into his pocket.

"Yes Josh, yes I am. We literally just talked about this," Castle mutters, glaring at the other man.

"But your mother's dead."

What the – he's going to wring the damn doctor's neck. He's going to use the pen he bought for her last week that's sitting pretty on her desk – he's going to use it to stab the man's eyes out, he's going to punch him so hard for being a complete asshole. How can he be so tactless, so insensitive – he's still seeing red when he hears her voice breaking through the angry haze.

"Castle, hey, stop it. It's fine."

The confident cadence of Beckett's voice soothes him as she takes his hand, fingers stroking his clenched fists. Her touch is as smooth as gossamer silk against his skin and it works. The red clears from his vision and he calms down from the rage. He looks down at their hands, at how her fingers are working slowly to unfurl his own from the tight fist he's made and a weird tingling feeling spreads through him.

"What did I say, what's going on here?" Josh asks, eyes darting back and forth between the two partners, suspicion coloring his words.

Beckett sighs, letting go of Castle's hand. "Castle can you wait here for a few minutes? We'll head out to lunch in a bit. I need to speak to Josh in private."

He nods, not trusting himself to speak just yet. He watches as Beckett leads Josh away into an interview room and he breathes a sigh of relief when the door shuts behind them. God. Beckett could do so much better than that bullish oaf. Sure, he seems nice enough, seems to keep Beckett content but she deserves so much more than just being 'content'.

She should be wined and dined, showered with gifts, romanced and cherished, not be given random boxes in the middle of the day at the workplace–

Oh, the box!

He glances at the interview room and notes that the door is still firmly shut. Ryan and Esposito seem to have disappeared, probably to the other side of the room trying to eavesdrop on Beckett's conversation, those nosy bastards.

He makes a mental note to ask them what they've managed to learn later.

Well then, back to the box.

He runs his fingers along the sides, eventually sliding them under the carefully tucked in flaps. He lifts them and after casting another look back at the closed doors, peers inside.

There's barely anything in it, to his disappointment. Her motorcycle helmet sits nestled among a few scarves and a riding jacket that's been hastily folded up. A pair of her crazy high heels are tucked to the side and he pulls them out, knowing how much she'll hate it if they get scuffed from being in the box with the helmet.

It doesn't hit him straight away, but rather it's when he's repacking the box sans the shoes, that he's actually looking at a break up box. Josh was bringing her a box of Beckett's things to her workplace, presumably because he's no longer welcome at her apartment. The revelation knocks him off his feet, literally, and he stumbles backwards into his seat.

They're not together. Josh isn't Beckett's boyfriend anymore. He stares unseeingly into the distance, his heart hammering in his chest as the pieces fall into place. Josh had had no idea about the fundraiser, which meant they'd been broken up for a while. Longer than a week, at the very least.

He doesn't have time to ponder on that fact much longer however, because the door to the interview room opens and Beckett steps out. She turns to him immediately, eyes once again seeking his like a homing pigeon, as if it's the most natural thing in the world. She nods at him, then tilts her head at Josh who walks out behind her.

Josh doesn't spare either one a single glance as he retreats into the elevator, a blank look on his face. Castle's dying to know what had transpired in the room, his imagination on full throttle as he conjures up fake conversations in his mind.

"Castle!"

He jolts out of thoughts, startling as Beckett snaps at him from across the room, arms folded across her chest.

"Lunch time! You comin'?"

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Tumblr: griever11  
Twitter: estheryam


	3. Chapter 3

Kate Beckett is floating, tingling from her fingers all the way up to her neck, pleasant heat rolling off her in waves as she leans against the marble wall. The skin tight material of her dress dips low against her back and the vast expanse of her alcohol-warmed skin welcomes the contrast of the cool surface

Happiness bubbles through her body unbidden. She cracks a smile at nobody in particular, unable to hide the euphoria that spreads through her entire body. She's had a lot of fun tonight, thanks to her partner and thinking about him sends pleasant bubbles along her spine, much like the bubbles in the champagne she'd been drinking all night.

From the moment Castle had picked her up and ushered her into the fancy stretch limousine, she'd been feeling a strange exuberance; giddy with glee. Conversation had been easy between them all night, light with familiar banter, laced with a hint of casual flirting and loaded glances that had sent her blood thrumming through her veins.

Even now, hours later, she's still trying to calm her thundering heart, feeling like she's no longer in control of any part of her body. Her heart flutters with pleasure as she catches a glimpse of her partner making his final rounds among the guests, bidding them goodbye.

She finally pushes off the wall and stalks towards him, confident enough now that she's had a few minutes to collect herself. She can probably walk in a straight line. Maybe. Castle really splurged on the good stuff for the event and she'd knocked back more than a few flutes of champagne while she flit from one guest to another as Castle introduced her.

The ballroom is almost empty, the jazz band is packing up and the catering crew are shooting her dirty looks, as if their stares will scare her into leaving. She rolls her eyes as she passes them, ignoring the slew of disgruntled mumbling directed at her. She's not leaving yet, not without Castle – she has plans for him tonight.

She catches up to him as he pauses at the bar, chatting animatedly to Ryan and Esposito; wow, both men had cleaned up very nicely for the event. She gives them a small wave as she approaches and slides into the space next to her partner, grinning at him.

"I had a good time tonight, Castle."

She doesn't know if she's slurring her words, but she probably is judging from the wide-eyed bewilderment on her co-workers faces. She can't seem to bring herself to care. She's happy and nothing they do or say will change that.

"You certainly _look_ like you had a good time," Castle says as his hand grazes her cheek, his forefinger twirling a strand of hair that dangles loose from her sleek up-do. "Are you feeling alright?"

Beckett nods, rolling her eyes at his unwarranted concern. It warms her to see how much he cares, tendrils of heat curling around her heart and spreading outwards to the tips of her fingers. She's playing with fire, allowing her walls to crumble at her feet, with Castle on the other side wielding the metaphorical sledgehammer responsible for its destruction.

It starts to get a little overwhelming so she tilts back, trying to put some space between them. Unfortunately, she overestimates her own soberness and she stumbles, swaying precariously on her heels. Castle lunges after her, a strong arm banding around her back as he chuckles into her hair, inexplicably closer to her now than before.

She gasps, fingers curling around his biceps as she regains her balance. She shudders as the scruff of his jaw swipes a broad stroke across her cheek. She blushes and sticks her tongue out at Castle's knowing smirk, pushes him away with a teasing grin.

"Uh, okay, maybe I'm a little tipsy. Just a little."

She hears the contained laughter of both Ryan and Esposito and she leans to the side, glaring at them from over Castle's shoulder. She narrows her eyes and they stop abruptly, schooling their features as she continues staring at them until they mumble their goodbyes and depart.

"Can't let them have even a little bit of fun, huh, Beckett?"

She shakes her head and laughs, free and easy. "Not at my expense, if they know what's best for them," she says, scrunching up her nose at their retreating backs.

Returning her gaze to Castle, she drinks him in, from his perfectly coiffed hair to the way his shoes shine bright under the twinkling lights in the ballroom. He's smiling, the corners of his eyes crinkling in delight, probably amused by her current inebriated state.

She scoffs at him but says nothing. She _is_ drunk, and after all he's done for her, after everything tonight, she'll allow it. Dealing with the playful glint in his eye is the very least she can do.

The least, yes. But she can and wants to do _so_ much more.

It's been simmering beneath the surface for hours, desperate longing staining every interaction she's had with him. But they'd mixed and mingled, chatted with so many people that night that they haven't had a moment to themselves for her to do anything except be perfectly friendly. Now however, the ballroom is blissfully empty and the silence gives her the surge of confidence she's been waiting for.

She licks her lips and buoyed by liquid courage, she takes the plunge. "Lets get outta here, Castle."

Castle raises his eyebrows at her question, the underlying implication that they'd be leaving together not lost on him. He doesn't say a word and instead offers the crook of his arm out to her. She takes it, sliding her fingers up his forearm, slipping it into the welcome space, folding into his embrace.

"Take me home, Castle."

They stumble into her apartment, tripping over the door mat, laughing at nothing in particular. The front door swings shut and Beckett collapses against it, lifting a foot to undo the straps of her heels. Her fingers feel fat and clumsy and she curses as the leather strap refuses to budge. Castle removes his tuxedo jacket, smoothes it over the back of her couch and turns around with an amused smile.

"Need some help with that, drunky?"

She glares at him as the strap finally gives and the beautiful gold Manolo Blahnik falls onto the floor. " _No_ ," she mutters. "But be useful and make us some coffee, will you? Please?"

Castle chuckles and nods, mock saluting her as he makes his way into the kitchen. She hears him puttering around, humming to himself in delight and she can't help the jealousy that settles within her. Seriously, how is it that he's completely sober and she … isn't?

She growls in disdain and makes her way to her couch, falling into it with a huff. She tilts her head over the back of the couch and closes her eyes, allowing herself to relax, letting the euphoria of the night wash over her. She's sobered up a little, feels a lot better than she did back at the ballroom, but she's still a little out of it.

"You're not asleep are you?"

Beckett opens her eyes and sits up, holding back the groan that threatens to fall from her lips. Castle's sitting in front of her, making himself comfortable on her coffee table, holding up a mug of what smells like-

"Chocolate? I thought I said coffee, Castle?"

"Ah, no. I figured a cup of my special hot chocolate would be better at this time of the night, don't you think?"

He wiggles the cup in front of her, teasing as the smell wafts into the air. It does smell delicious, thick and rich, with a hint of peppermint. Beckett eventually nods and wraps both hands around the warm mug. Her fingers slide around his as she takes it from him, and a jolt of fire and electricity causes her eyes to dart to his, widening in surprise.

His fingers are still trapped beneath hers as she lifts the mug to her mouth and takes her first sip, relishing the taste on her tongue. She doesn't lose eye contact with him as she swallows, well aware of the fact that he can't move his hand without dislodging the mug from her grasp. She's playing a very dirty game, toeing the line of indecency as she tugs the mug to her lips again, pulling him closer as she gulps down another mouthful.

She notices his pupils following the movement of her lips, tracking downward as she allows the smooth chocolatey goodness to slide down her throat. She moans in delight and savors the taste, her tongue darting out to catch the chocolate remaining on her lips.

"Uh…"

She opens her eyes at his silent exclamation and she finds herself staring into his, dark and stormy. They're wide and dilated, almost black with … oh God. He … he's _aroused_.

Okay. That was unexpected. She only meant to tease but the look he's giving her is downright feral, animalistic and maybe - just maybe she's gone too far this time. She blinks, unfamiliar with the intensity and leans forward to leave the mug on the coffee table. The movement places her at an awkward angle, his arms twisted to the side as they're still clasped around the now empty mug.

She's about to move, say something, _anything_. She inhales, prepares herself to-

Castle clears his throat then, slips his hand from hers in haste and Beckett feels a sudden shift in the mood. He runs his fingers through his hair, messing up the immaculate do he'd worn for the night. There's a twitch in his eye, and he's looking around at everything but her. His foot starts to tap a strange repetitive rhythm on the hardwood floor and she reaches her palm out on instinct, rests it on his knee to still it.

She tries again, "Castle, I think-"

"Oh, your guitar! Are you any good?" Castle cuts her off, a panicked look in his eyes. He stands up and picks up the guitar resting on the side of the table. He settles back on the couch next to her, presumably so he didn't have to stare straight at her.

"I'm okay. I'm not a rock star or anything," she says, disappointed at the sudden turn of events. Still, Castle doesn't seem to want to leave just yet so she grants him an olive the night can still be salvaged. "Want me to teach you?"

Castle flicks his eyes at her and grins, boyish endearment flashing across his face. "Yes, please!"

Beckett nods and shifts, turns sideways and crosses her legs on the couch so she faces him side on. She leans over, careful not to overextend herself lest she falls all over him, and her fingers wrap around his on the neck of the guitar.

She can smell him; cologne and aftershave permeating her senses. Her cheek grazes his jaw as she manipulates his digits to form a C chord. She feels her heartbeat pick up, their close proximity doing things to her body that she's not quite ready to acknowledge just yet.

"That's a C chord," she breathes out, leaning back, easing away from him. "Now strum."

Oh, _God_. She grits her teeth at the resulting sound, jarring and loud, an unpleasant echo through her apartment.

"No, no stop!"

She bursts into a fit of giggles, peals of laughter wracking her body as Castle stares at her, nonplussed and unamused. He narrows his eyes at her and huffs. "Hey, don't be mean. I've never played before!"

Beckett ignores his whining and picks up a remote from her coffee table, flicking at buttons until the soft dulcet tones of a country number ripples around them. "This is what it's meant to sound like, Castle," she says amidst the laughing.

She turns back to look at him, wants to make sure she hasn't hurt his feelings but blinks in surprise as she doesn't see him on the couch. What, where-

His hand appears before her and she follows the limb up to his face, standing tall next to her. She scrunches her eyebrows at him, but takes his hand anyway. She lifts to her feet as he tugs, pulls her in close and wraps himself around her.

His hand leaves hers but before she can protest he slides it around her back, the warmth of his palm settling on her bare back, while the other rests low on her hip.

"I can't play music, but I sure can dance. Dance with me, Beckett," he says, his voice husky in her ear. It's as if the mishap with her guitar had diffused the uneasiness from earlier and the tension is back in full force, untapped passion crackling between them . The nervousness from before has disappeared, the twitch in his eyes replaced with confidence that Beckett approves of.

"Why, Castle?" she teases, even as she melts into his embrace, her arms curling around his neck, fingers toying with the hairs she finds there. "You didn't step foot on the dance floor all night, Castle. Turned down _all_ the women clamoring for your attention."

He grunts, smiling around the brightness in his eyes, moving in time to the gentle crooning from her speakers. His hand slides from her back to her neck, burning a trail of need and want all the way up to her cheek where his palm finally stills. He cocks his head to the side, studying her as they sway on the spot.

She licks her lips again, a grin forming on her mouth. She raises her eyebrows, silently daring him to make a move. She's waited for this all night; a quiet moment alone with her partner, and now she has it. She runs a finger from his nape along his jaw, rests it against the corner of his mouth. He shivers and she feels it traveling through her - good, he's clearly as affected by this as she is. She lets out a throaty chuckle and winks. "What's wrong, Castle? Cat got your tongue?"

"Well, Beckett," he whispers, face dangerously close to hers, lips barely inches away for her own. "If you must know, the truth is ... "

He releases her, extends his arms into their full reach and she spins out, laughing as she splays her arms wide and twirls back into his arms.

"Truth is, I don't wanna dance if I'm not dancing with you."

And then he kisses her.

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 **END**

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Twitter: estheryam  
Tumblr: griever11


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